Invitation
by GratiaPlena
Summary: Caroline and Susie are judging a horse riding competition when Caroline extends her hospitality. It extends rather far.


_I shouldn't be writing fanfiction. I should be packing boxes! I'm moving in two days. Argh. So much to do, so little time, so much procrastination.. Send some encouraging thoughts my way please and enjoy this silly little story that convinced me it was more important than sorting through my earthly possessions_...

* * *

It was early in the morning. The dew was still on the grass as Susie pulled up and parked her car behind Caroline's horse trailer. Turning off the ignition she could hear her friend's characteristic voice shouting insults to her daughters. They were meant to be pedagogical encouragements, but Caroline's nerves before a horse riding competition always seemed to get the better of her. The sooner they'd be on their way to their judging post, the better for all involved.

Susie got out of her car, carefully locking it and double checking that it was locked. She also checked her appearance in the car window. It had to do. She was slightly overdressed in her wax coat and boots, considering that the sun was already warmly shining, but they had to sit still atop a windy moor hill for nearly an hour. Better to be safe than sorry.

She took a moment to soak in the warmth of the early spring sun and closed her eyes to enjoy the sounds. The calls from birds on the moor, the excited shrieks of horse riding girls, car doors opening and closing and of course the voice of her friend, sounding truly frantic now. "Put down your phone, young lady!" Inaudible mumbling from one of the Martin daughters was followed by a tirade about selfies, responsibilities and groundings. Susie smiled. There was an electricity in the air somehow and she couldn't pinpoint it. All she knew was that she looked forward to spending time with Caroline on this fine sunny day.

She walked around the trailer and waved to the girls. She placed her hand on Caroline's shoulder. Caroline was mid-tirade and spun around forcefully. "Oh it's you. Susie, be a dear and comb the tail of Merryleggs. Freya seems to have more important matters to attend to." Caroline pushed the horse brush through her windswept hair and then held it out to Susie.

The sun played beautifully on Caroline's face and for a moment nothing was heard but a distant bird call. Susie smiled. "Hey."

"Hey." The beginnings of a smile were twinkling in Caroline's eyes before she brusquely looked away, holding out the brush to Susie. "Chop chop," she said, but there was a warmth in her voice.

* * *

It could have been her imagination, but it seemed to Susie that Caroline was sitting closer to her than usual. Up here on the hill the hustle and bustle of horses, girls and nervous mothers was just a distant murmur. A conversation on 'the neccesity of a wine cellar for entertaining in the home' had just reached its natural conclusion and a comfortable silence stretched between them.

"What?" said Caroline with slight annoyance, catching Susie tracing the shadow of the brim of Caroline's hat on her face. "What?"

Susie shrugged.

Caroline looked at her intently for a moment and then looked away. Her cheeks took on a feint red colour. It could easily be from the wind.

"Well anyway," Caroline's voice interrupted the silence. "Anyway, there's a bug in your hair." She chuckled at the jolt that went through Susie's body.

"Where?!" Susie tried her best to keep her voice calm.

"Sit still."

Then Caroline's hands were in her hair. Her strong fingers roughly combing, and her face so close that Susie could count every freckle, could see every colour swirling in her irises.

"Sit still!" The breath of the gentle admonishment brushed over Susie's skin. Tingles rushed through her spine and she felt goosebumps forming on her arms.

"There." Caroline showed her the bug. It slowly climbed up her finger, spread its wings and flew into the sunny air. They followed its flight.

Then Caroline's hand was on Susie's knee. Another jolt passed through her. If Caroline noticed, she didn't acknowledge it. "There. It was only a ladybug. Didn't frighten you now, Dearest?"

Dearest. Not dear.

The hand moved off her leg.

Susie shook her head and smiled. Her smile was mirrored by Caroline's.

A moment passed. The goosebumps subsided. In the distance they could hear the sound of a megaphone giving the last instructions to the horseriders. Susie checked her pencil (sharp) and her clipboard (in good order). Then suddenly a feeling of emptyness filled her chest and dropped into her stomach. She wouldn't see Caroline tomorrow. She never did see her on Sundays anymore since she stopped going to church. It hadn't been an issue before, but suddenly the day before her seemed dull, as if she had washed a colourful new tablecloth with the dark items and it now had a grey wash. She sighed.

"Do you have plans for tommorow by any chance?" she heard herself say. "After church? Only I have no one round for tea and I thought perhaps..." It was a foolish invitation and she could 't bring herself to finish it.

"Can't," said Caroline. The dark dread of a dull Sunday spread in Susie's abdomen.

"Can't," repeated Caroline. "Only, I plan to do a spot of fingering."

The dark dread exploded within Susie and thousands of needle pricks tingled inside. An involuntary laugh escaped her. "No?" she said.

"Yes," replied Caroline.

"No, I think you mean something else."

"I should think not."

"You mean...it means.." Susie looked up. In the distance the megaphone was blasting and a car horn sounded. She looked at Caroline's smiling, sunkissed face. Her eyes were intently studying Susie's. They almost seemed to dare her to continue.

"It means pleasuring one's..." Caroline's hand was on her knee again, taking her breath away. With effort she continued: "Well, one's or one another's..." The hand travelled up to her thigh. Earnest eyes looked into hers.

"I know exactly what it means, Dearest."

And then Caroline's lips were on hers and a hand cupped the back of her head. Susie was vaguely aware of her clipboard falling and then there was only the feeling, the grand overwhelming feeling of being kissed by Caroline.

They only pulled apart when they heard the starting gun in the distance. They looked at each other for a few moments, studying each other's reactions. Then Caroline bent to pick up Susie's clipboard.

"You can come 'round for it, if you'd like."

"Yes," said Susie, surprised that she still knew how to speak. "Yes, I should love to."

Love love love.

"Good. I find it's rather more enjoyable with company. Would fourteenhundred hours suit you?"

"Yes." God yes, and thousands of hours more.

"That's settled. Well, be at the ready, here come the horses."


End file.
